Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of gas from petroleum



H'. H.EDGERTON. improvement in Apparatus for the {Manufacture of Gas from Petrpleum. N0.125,941. PatentedApri|23,1872.

7am fflVerzZai: 32m M 5% AM, PHOTO'L'ITHDGMFH/C C0, MXIIISBOENEIY P1700583 UNrrnn Snares HENRY H. EDGERTON, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM PETROLEUM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,941, dated April 23, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. EDGERTON, of Fort T/Vayne, Allen county, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Separating and Vaporizing Petroleum and other volatile hydrocarbon liquids, of which the following is a specification:

These improvements relate to the manufacture of gas from petroleum or other volatile hydrocarbons, by what is known as the Gale process, and they are directed to the separation of liquids of different gravities by means of an unequal discharge, as hereinafter set forth; and to the vaporization of the volatile hydrocarbons for the purpose of gas manufacture.

I shall first describethe apparatus which I prefer to employ in order to carry out my invention, and will then describe the method of operating or working with the same.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

A is the feed-pipe, through which the petroleum or other volatile hydrocarbon passes to the apparatus. B L are two siphons or drips. G is the pipe in which the vaporization of the hydrocarbon is effected, and which forms a continuation of or communicates with the pipe A. The vaporizer is jacketed or surrounded by a larger pipe, E, connected with a steampipe, S, through which steam is introduced into the jacket surrounding the vaporizer. The pipe K, communicating with the jacket, carries off the water of condensation into the steam-trap H. Connected with and extending from the pipe 0 is the vapor-pipe G, which conducts the vapor to the retorts, and which is jacketed to the point where it enters the retorts, its jacket communicating with the one which surrounds the vaporizer O. The sealingdrip F carries 011' into a suitable tank that portion of the material not vaporized.

The mode of operating with the above-described apparatus is as follows: The vaporpipe G connects with any suitable gas-retort, and the pipe A with any tank or source of supply of benzine, naphtha, petroleum or other volatile hydrocarbon, the flow from which may be regulated by a suitable valve, V. Steam under a pressure suitable to the material to be volatilized is turned onto the jacket E, which surrounds the vola-tilizing-pipe or vaporizer O. The lower siphon L of the two siphons L B, being previously partly filled 'with water, and the benzine, naphtha, or other hydrocarbon being supposed to be contaminated or mixed with water, the following action takes place in the separator, which separator consists prin lower siphon L into the tank I or other receptacle, so that in case the hydrocarbon enters the apparatus mixed with water, a separation of the two liquids is efiected before vaporization, and thiscontinuously and during the progress of the working of the apparatus. The small pipe and valve D, extending between and communicating with the upper ends of the two siphons, is for the purpose of equalizing the pressure in the two, if necessary. The liquid when it arrives at that portion of the pipe 0 surrounded by the jacket E, is immediately volatilized or vaporized in part, the extent of vaporization being commensurate with and determined by the degree of heat in the jacket E. The Vapor having no eftlux except through the pipe G or the siphons, will now be conducted to the retorts by pipe G, which maintains it in its volatilized condition.

The valve V on the feed-pipe may now be opened fully, and the rapidity of vaporization controlled by the retort-valves. The apparatus now becomes self-regulating, for the naphtha cannot enter the jacketed part of the pipe 0 except in proportion as the vapor is removed or passes out, the back pressure of the vapor preventing the admission of more than the required quantity of liquid to supply the place of the vapor passing into the retorts.

That portion of the liquid not susceptible of vaporization at the temperature of the jacketed pipe runs off into tanks through the siphon or drip F.

The pipe 0, as shown in the drawing, is preferably arranged so as to incline downward slightly toward the end, where the siphon F is located. In lieu of using steam any other suitable heating agent may be employed.

The apparatus described consists, it will be seen, of two parts, the one designed to efl'ect the separation of liquids of different gravities and in a constantly-running stream by differential siphons or unequal discharge, the other designed to vaporize the Volatile hydrocarbon in a jacketed pipe or pipes.

Under the above'described operation of the apparatus, the following advantages are obtained: The Waterseparating siphons' B L eliminate allwater from thehydrocarbon liquid by difl'erenee in'gravity, and deliver the same practically free from water into the vaporizing portion of the apparatus. All that part of the naphtha or petroleum whose vaporizing point is under a given temperature, determined by the degree of heat of the jacket, is vaporized, and I thus am enabled to deliver through the pipe F a residuum of any desired quality, such as kerosene, resulting from redistillation of petroleum naphtha, or a petroleum residuum of a determined gravity. The supply of vapor passing into the retorts from the vapor-pipe G, regulates the admission of the hydrocarbon liquid from the siphon B, by reason of the .back pressure of the vapor, as above stated.

I do not claim the separation of water and naphtha by gravity, except in a continuouslyflowing current, and by means of two unequal column discharges.

Havingdescribedmyinvention,whatIclai1n, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- 1. In the manufacture of gas, the vaporization of volatile hydrocarbons before they enter the gas retort or retorts, by means of a jacketed pipe or pipes communicating with the said retort or retorts, substantially in the manner herein shown and described.

2. The separation of liquids of difierent gravities in a continuously -flowing stream, and before entering the vaporizer, by means of unequal column discharges, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. An apparatus for separating and vaporizing volatile hydrocarbon liquids, organized and operating substantially as shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. EDGERTON.

Witnesses:

SATTERLEE WARTMORE, A. A. ALVoRn. 

